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Thursday, February 17, 2011

Ten Best Psychology Apps for Smartphones

Author: Allison Gamble

Smartphones offer users access to apps that cover a variety of areas. One area that has a large selection of apps is psychology. Whether you are student working toward getting your psychology degree or a teacher, there are a number of apps that are sure to meet your needs. Besides educational apps, there also mental health applications that can help you resolve an issue or simply de-stress. Here are the ten best psychology apps available on smartphones. The current prices are listed in parentheses.

1. StudySets - Psychology ($2.99)

This is a great app for psychology students as well as anyone who is interested in the topic. StudySets – Psychology provides you with information on key figures in the field, a glossary of terms and the history of psychology. In addition, the app will supply you with detailed information on specific areas such as memory, conditioning and sensation. This great app offers enough information to satisfy the curiosity of anyone interested in psychology.

2. Pocket Pond (Free)

This is one of the best relaxation apps available. Essentially, your screen turns in to a koi pond where you can watch fish peacefully swim around. Listen to a relaxing nature soundtrack while creating ripples in the water by simply touching the screen. You can also feed the fish, scare them and even add thunderstorms. Like a real koi pond, this app provides you with a chance to relax and put your worries aside.

3. Live Happy ($0.99)

Based on the research of Dr. Sonja Lyubomirsky, the goal of this app is to help people develop positive thinking. With this app, you can personalize a program, set goals and keep a gratitude journal. These activities are designed to cause you to appreciate and remember happy days, and shake away negative thoughts. If these tough times have gotten you down, check out this app as it is guaranteed to boost your both your short and long-term happiness

4. 3D Brain (Free)

This is a simple app that gives you a map of the brain. By touching an area of the brain represented on the screen, you can explore almost 30 different brain structures. You can learn how they function, what role they play in mental illness and what happens if they are injured. If you have ever wondered how the human brain works, this is the app for you.

5. iCrazy ($1.99)

Have you ever felt like you were going crazy? Well, now you can use this app to find out if you are. iCrazy is a set of psychology tests that are almost identical to ones used by doctors when accessing the mental heath of patients. The app tests a wide range of conditions including alcoholism, depression and obsessive (OCD). It is easy to use and offers a great interface, so why not take a moment or two to check up on your mental health.

6. Dream Psychology by Sigmund Freud ($1.99)

People have always been fascinated by dreams and what they mean. Now you can learn how to interpret yours using the insights of Freud. Essentially, this app is a translation of Freud's theories on dreams. Besides presenting you with tons of information, this app will read all of the chapters to you, allows you to bookmark pages and is easy to navigate.

7. CubeGame ($0.99)

Based on a game played in ancient Eastern Europe, this app uses visualization exercises to better understand one’s personality. One of the exercises involves imagining a desert landscape and then filling it with a variety of objects. The app then interprets the location, size and material of the objects to create a personality profile for each player. The app is amazingly accurate and is great tool for getting to know someone better. Best of all, the app will even provide you with deeper insights into your own personality.

8. Stress Check (Free)

These days, stress is nearly unavoidable. While stress can be beneficial in small doses, when it remains unchecked it can lead to a host health problems such as high blood pressure, a suppressed immune system and even increase your risk of having a heart attack or stroke. However with Stress Check, you can keep your stress under control. The app provides you with a simple assessment of your stress levels and then determines their root cause. The app also features a series of meditation techniques and videos aimed at helping you reduce your stress.

9. Developmental Psychology Study Guide ($1.99)

This app will provide you with everything you need to know when it comes to developmental psychology. The Developmental Psychology Study Guide has a simple interface that provides tons of information and definitions. To make things even easier, the app stores all relevant pages about developmental psychology from Wikipedia and allows you to easily bookmark points of interest with a push of a button. Whether you are preparing for a test or just brushing up your skills, this app will ensure you ace any psychology class.

10. Stress Shaker (Free)

This is simple game that helps you diminish the stress in your life. Essentially, you control a sailboat in the ocean. If you feel stressed, shake the app. The water will become rough. If you feel calmer, tap the screen and the waters will settle. As you series of inspirational quotes appear on the screen. The quotes are designed to make you think and arranged within four stress levels. Thus as your stress increases, your app will provide with level appropriate quotes that will navigate you toward calmer waters.

Besides the apps mentioned above, there are many more geared toward psychology featured in the iTunes Store. While some are education based and will help you pass any psychology class with flying colors, others will provide you with entertainment and help reduce your stress levels. The brain needs exercise just like the body does, so make sure to take advantage of these apps and improve your mental health.

About the author:

Allison Gamble has been a curious student of psychology since high school. She brings her understanding of the mind to work in the weird world of internet marketing.